The blog of a chug-a-long angler enjoying his life at the water side…

Session 32 – Spinning A Blade On A Yarn

Tuesday 8th July 2014, at around 0530 and I arrived on the banks of the Staffs-Worcs Canal at a location I’d not previously fished at all although I did walk the length a week or so ago to look at it. It looked very nice at the time as it did today and I intend possibly to visit for a few evening hours possibly next week – but that may change as I want to visit a stretch of the Shropshire Union Canal too – although there’s not an impossibility of fitting both in.

Staffs-Worcs Canal On A Beautiful Morning

So, to this morning,… basically it was just a session of two hours, fishing with Mepps type bladed spinners – but not all spinners are equal! Well, the Poundland ones I tried didn’t match up to their more costly rivals but even they were made to work reasonably well with a bit of a twist added to the blades via use of nature’s pliers (teeth) as I had decided to travel as light as possible by ditching the waistcoat that holds all my tranklements such as pliers, shot, etc… and licences and permits and so a good job a bailiff didn’t appear!! Anyway, I fished about three-quarters to a mile of bank and had success. Not major success, but better than a blank! One small (3oz) perch succumbed to my lure – and I think I also had a couple of ‘plucks’ but not absolutely sure as possibly just lightly catching the bottom or a piece of weed or twig, etc.

The title ‘spinning a blade’ obviously is the Mepps type blade spinner used, and ‘on a yarn’ is a reference to the braided line I was using. A bit heavy for the task at hand really at 30lb BS but I was unable to locate the spool of my preferred 12lb stuff – will have to dig around my tackle and other rods – probably on another set up rod/reel combo.

Future plans…

This Friday – off to Woodland Lodge Pools over Bridgnorth with Liz. Kinver Freeliners have the two pools there with the main pool only fishable by members but the smaller pool is available to fish on day ticket (£5, I think) and that is where Liz and I will be. And next week I will have at least one canal trip plus there will be the second of the newly resumed ‘couples’ Fridays when Liz and I head out to a destination yet to be decided…